deVine Table

Raising a Glass During a Class Presentation

Tonight was the last night of summer quarter at the Northwest Wine Academy. As with all of our food and wine pairing classes, students are required to present a food and wine pairing assignment to the class. The challenge this time was to prepare a menu featuring one wine paired with multiple dishes.

Anything Goes

Unlike previous classes where we each prepared and conducted our presentations solo, this one required working in teams. I was lucky to have Bean and Teri as my partners. Bean and I have a lot of “practice” working together on food and wine pairings. After Teri joined us for a virtual tasting, we could tell she shared some of our sensibilities, and brought some new food for thought to the table (pun totally intended!).

Teri Prepping Apricot Graham Snacker

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White Gazpacho

My first taste of white gazpacho was served to me by John Neumark, a great chef here in Seattle. I fell in love with this soup at first bite! This version was adapted from recipes by celebrity chefs, Joanne Weir and Hubert Keller.

A chilled soup is one of my favorite things to eat on a warm day when we’re dining on the patio. Not to mention, this is a great dish to serve to company because it’s made in advance. When your guests arrive, all you have to do is dish it up.

• ¾ c almonds
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 slices stale rustic country-style bread, crusts removed, about 4 oz.
• 1 cup ice water
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 ½ c seedless green grapes
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

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